Turnabout The Morning After
by Lyrical Rawr
Summary: Phoenix can't remember a thing about what he did last night, he decides to open a case to find out what had happened and starts to investigate.
1. Chapter 1

The skyline of the city was bathed in a deep orange as the sun finally decided to rise above the grey buildings, it shone down

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters or the game. They belong to Capcom. And I've written this without permission… so sorry.

**A/N:** Yey, first fic! This is expected to run for a bit. This is set just after Justice for All. Reviews are lovely, please tell me what's right and what's wrong so I can improve )

**Edit: **Revised for grammar, phrasing, layout and POV.

--

**Turnabout the Morning After  
**Chapter 1

_April 2nd  
__10:00 AM  
__Phoenix's Bedroom_

"**The skyline of the city was bathed in a deep orange as the sun rose above the sea of buildings. It shone down onto the peaceful setting, prompting everyone inside to wake up and prepare for another long day..."**

-_Beep beep beep beep beep_-

An arm reached out of the mass of blankets to slam the snooze button down on the alarm clock.

_Ten more minutes… _Phoenix thought as he snuggled back down into the sheets and turned the page, massaging his throbbing head.

-_Bring bring, bring bring_-

Phoenix jumped at the sound of his phone, the book falling out of his hands onto the bed. He sighed.

_Someone up there really doesn't like me_.

-_Bring bring, bring bring_-

"Alright, alright, I'm coming already…"

He dragged his feet out of the tangle of sheets and stumbled into the living room, going over to the phone to pick up the receiver.

"Hello?" Phoenix mumbled, rubbing his forehead.

"_Wow, he lives!" _The caller exclaimed. _"Get your lazy ass down here now, Nick."_

"Oh, I'm fine. Thanks for asking, Maya."

"_You can't joke your way out of this again,"_ Maya retorted angrily.

Phoenix slumped down onto the nearest chair and rubbed his forehead. "It's only eight. I've got plenty of time to get in."

"_Your stupid, cheap alarm clock has lost hours again, hasn't it?"_ Maya sighed. _"It's already ten, Nick. There're piles of paperwork that need to be sorted, not to mention all the old cups that have to be cleared."_ Maya was shuffling round in the background, most likely finding the offending cups underneath a mound of paper. _"Hey, Nick, I've just found this sandwich and it's only three days out of date. Do you reckon I can still eat it?"_

"Sure you can, but I'm not bringing you to the hospital after you get food poisoning." Phoenix closed his eyes and massaged his temples. "Look, I've had a really rough morning--"

"_I bet you have!" _

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"_Oh, I saw everything, Nick.__** Everything**__."_

Phoenix groaned and ran a hand over his hair.

_I took her with me? What the hell was I thinking!?_

"_You get really emotional when you're drunk, you know," _Maya continued._ "That pretty bartender didn't look impressed when you were telling her your life story."_

Phoenix chuckled. "Poor woman."

"_There were several." _Phoenix heard the sound of Maya chewing, before she continued._ "Not that I was complaining. I added the food bill to your tab."_

Phoenix sighed.

_That's this month's salary out the window…_

"Did I seriously make that much of an ass out of myself?"

"_You don't remember? Well, I'm not surprised."_ Maya paused, presumably to take a bite out of whatever she was eating. _"I wouldn't worry too much about it, though. Edgeworth looked just as stupid as you."_

Phoenix sat up straight in his chair. "_Edgeworth_ was there?"

"_Yep. So was Larry, Detective Gumshoe, and some young girl with pink glasses. Didn't talk much to her, though…"_

Phoenix sighed again.

_Looks like the whole of the Prosecution Offices will have heard about what happened last night… _

_Whatever did happen, that is._

"_Anyway, could you get down here in half an hour? I need help with this mess."_

Phoenix groaned again.

Maya chuckled. _"I'll take that as a yes. See ya soon!"_ And with that, she hung up.

Phoenix scowled at the receiver and put it back down. He sighed, before eventually heaving himself off the chair to go into the bathroom. He turned the shower on and then went over to the bathroom cabinet to get his shampoo. However, the sight in the mirror as he closed the cabinet's door made his eyes widen in shock.

_Is that a… bruise on my neck?_

Phoenix dropped the bottle he was holding where it fell with a clatter into the sink. He rubbed at the mark on his neck with two fingers, making sure it wasn't a trick.

_What the hell!? Maya didn't say anything about me getting lucky!_

Phoenix grabbed the sides of the sink and stared at his refection.

_Well, crap._

"This is a job for Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney!" He shouted, pointing at the mirror.

_I really need to get out of the habit of doing that every time a new case opens up..._


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters or the game. They belong to Capcom. And I've written this without permission… so sorry.

**A/N: **Thanks very much to my reviewers -hugs- it's nice to see people read my work.

**Edit: **Revised for grammar, phrasing, layout and POV.

--

**Turnabout the Morning After  
**Chapter 2

_April 2__nd  
__11:03 AM  
__Street_

Phoenix uncomfortably pulled up his shirt collar for the tenth time that morning. He glanced around the street, knowing that people couldn't possibly notice he'd just had a drunken one-night-stand, but feeling as if all their eyes were piercing through his guilty conscience.

He had tried to remember anything that could lead him back to who the woman was, but had come up blank every time.

The only clue Phoenix had found that morning was the book he had read when he woke up. It was titled '_Memories' _and looked fairly new, which was incredibly weird seeing as though all Phoenix's books were over five years old. It didn't even look like something he would choose to read, anyway.

Going on this information, he deduced that the book could only belong to one other person: his mystery lover.

_If only I could remember more about what happened…_

--

_Phoenix had finally cracked a very stubborn case that left him tired and weary, but his colleagues dragged him along to celebrate almost straight after court was adjourned._

_Phoenix had been chatting with Larry, listening mostly about Larry's new girlfriend and how hot she was, or watching him whistle at every woman in a short skirt that strutted by. It was then that Larry had come up with an idea that had sparked the whole night off._

"_Hey, Nick, there's this place downtown that I've been meaning to check out. My ex-girlfriend recommended it to me!" Larry's eyes appeared to glaze over. "I thought my life should've ended after I found out about her macho bit on the side." He started to well up with tears._

"_S-sure, Larry, but do you reckon it'll be… suitable for this lot?" Phoenix interrupted, pointing back towards the group who had been following._

_Larry wiped his eyes on his sleeve and seemed to instantly cheer up. "Oh, don't worry, dude, it'll be fine for them. Just a few drinks, maybe a bit of fun, and we'll be right out!"_

--

Phoenix sighed and shook his head.

_I should have known Larry's idea of 'fun' is a lot different to mine._

He could remember them entering the bar, though the name of the bar didn't really register. He could also remember the laughing and drinking with his colleagues, although their faces seemed a little blurred.

_I really hope Maya can help._

--

_April 2__nd  
__11:16 AM  
__Wright and Co. Law Offices_

Phoenix opened the door to the office and did a double take at the scene. He could actually see the plant in the corner, and the coffee table was cleared of all the cups and old newspapers that had been there for weeks.

"I thought I said half an hour?" Phoenix turned around to see Maya with a poster in her hand.

He smiled sheepishly. "Erm…"

Maya shook her head with a grin. "I didn't realise it took so long to gel that hair of yours," she commented cheekily.

"Hey, it's natural!" Phoenix protested, before grabbing his forehead. "Man, my head…" He flopped down onto the couch, rubbing his temples once again. "Maya, could you get me a coffee?"

"Make it yourself!" Maya replied, before unravelling the poster and climbing up a seat. "Which wall do you think this should go on? I thought it looked best against the window."

"Is that _another_ samurai poster?"

"I've got to complete the collection, Nick!"

Phoenix rolled his eyes and heaved himself off the couch to switch on the kettle in the corner of the room.

"Maya… I was wondering…" He added the instant coffee to his cup. "Could you tell me a bit more about what happened last night?"

"You really want to know?" Maya grabbed her ear. "Well, I guess it started because I wanted to celebrate winning that case. I really wanted to make it a night to remember…"

Phoenix chuckled.

_How ironic._

"Larry had a great idea about going downtown to a bar called '_La Boîte de Bleue',_ so we met up there," Maya continued with a smile.

"I think I remember everything before the club," Phoenix said, rubbing his chin. "Was there anything that happened when we got in?"

Maya grabbed her ear again. "Hmmm… Well, Larry had another idea. You, Edgeworth and him ended up having a drinking competition." She giggled. "I couldn't believe my eyes when you downed all those shots!"

Phoenix sighed. "That explains the headache and memory loss."

_I guess that when something smells, it really is the Butz._

The kettle clicked and he turned around to pour the water into the cup.

_Edgeworth getting drunk. Hah, I wish I could remember that._

"I didn't pay too much attention to how many you had," Maya continued again. "Gumshoe and I got bored, so we decided to have a game of snap. That other girl insisted on taking 'scientific notes', though…" She suddenly clapped her hands. "Oh! Guess what!"

Phoenix turned back to face Maya. "What?"

"He's dead lousy at snap. I won every round!" She smiled triumphantly, before apparently noticing Phoenix's disappointed face. "Uh… please don't look at me like that…"

"Sorry, I was just hoping you could tell me something about--"

_If Maya had any idea who this mystery person was, I'm sure she would have said something about it._

"Doesn't matter." Phoenix took a sip of his coffee.

"Well, I wasn't there the whole time, actually. I had to go back and get your wallet at the beginning, and Gumshoe took me home in his car at the end."

Phoenix rubbed his chin. "So, there are several time blanks in your testimony?"

_God, it's hard enough doing this after a good nights sleep, never mind trying to do it with a hellish headache…_

"Huh, testimony?" Maya sent Phoenix a blank look.

Phoenix grinned. "I have evidence to suggest something happened while you weren't present." He yanked down his collar. "Take that!"

_I really shouldn't get so excited…_

Maya stared at his neck with wide eyes. "Nick… is that a_ hickey_?"

"That's not the problem, Maya. The thing is, I can't remember who gave me it." Phoenix pulled his collar back into place. "Do you have any clue who I could have been with? Any idea at all?"

Maya blinked and shook her head. "No… But I can help investigate! You never know, maybe that person was your special someone you've been waiting for."

Phoenix laughed. "Poor Pearls, she had her mind set on us two becoming a couple."

Maya blushed. "I haven't a clue where she got that from."

"No matter," Phoenix smiled. "What do you say to going and interrogating some of these witnesses, Maya?"

Maya grinned back. "Let's do it!"

--

Text references:

'_La Boîte de Bleue'_ is kinda like saying 'blue night club' in French.

Although it doesn't make much sense, it reads nice and funky.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters or the game. They belong to Capcom. And I've written this without permission… so sorry.

**A/N: **Thanks again to my reviewers! I hope this will keep you interested :)

**Edit: **Revised for grammar, phrasing, layout and POV.

--

**Turnabout the Morning After  
**Chapter 3

_April 2__nd  
__1:01 PM  
__Criminal Affairs Dept._

Maya decided that it would be best to go and visit Detective Gumshoe first, mainly to thank him for the lift. After their quick stop at the burger bar down the road, they entered the Police Department.

Gumshoe got up as soon as he saw the duo arriving, his clumsy actions leading to the contents of his cup being spilt all over the pile documents on his desk. After apologising several times to the Chief, he turned to face them.

"Hey there, pals! How's the hangover, Mr. Wright?" Gumshoe's shoulders shook in silent laughter underneath his trench coat.

"It's… uh… fine," Phoenix replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

_I feel as if my head will split into two any second, but other than that..._

"I just came to thank you for the lift last night, seeing as though Nick was in no fit state to take me home." Maya smiled sweetly and bowed.

"No problem, pal!" Gumshoe smiled back. "Did you both enjoy yourselves?"

"Well, I don't really remember much to be honest…" Phoenix laughed nervously.

Gumshoe chuckled. "I'm not really surprised, pal. I personally never touch those spirits! It saves me from getting in these situations, see."

_More like you just can't afford them._

"Is there anything you can tell me about the time before and after we entered the bar?"

"Not much. I took your assistant home early, didn't I, pal? And before the bar, we all just broke up to meet later on. You went off somewhere with Butz." Gumshoe laughed again, this time out loud. "There was one other thing, actually. That criminal friend of yours--"

Phoenix slammed his hands on the desk, making Gumshoe flinch. "Hold it, you mean Larry?" He pointed at Gumshoe. "How many times…!? He was tried and found _innocent_!"

"…Uh… Sorry, pal…"

"Just ignore him, Detective. Nick's cranky from having a hangover." Maya raised an eyebrow at Phoenix.

_Ouch, that's a hefty penalty…_

"Sorry, Gumshoe..." Phoenix mumbled, rubbing his neck. "Please, continue."

"Well, the Butz guy decided it would be funny to pull an April fool on you before the bar, pal," Gumshoe explained.

Phoenix felt his throat dry up. "A-April fool?"

"You know, the first of April? Some people find it funny to go around tricking their friends." Gumshoe smiled widely. "He got you good, pal."

"_W-what!_? How come I don't remember this!? This is before I had the drinking competition!" Phoenix frowned and rubbed his forehead.

_If only I didn't have this stupid headache…_

"Wow, that is kinda weird, Nick. Do you have some kind of short-term amnesia that runs in the family?" Maya gasped. "Maybe you were drugged!"

"I don't think that's it, Maya…"

_How could I forget? I probably blanked it out from being so emotionally scarred… _

_Wait… The competition Larry set up…_

Phoenix hit the desk, making Gumshoe flinch again. "Now I know why I agreed to that drinking competition; it was to forget that prank!"

_Larry, you scheming jerk!_

Maya frowned. "It can't have been that bad, Nick. I mean, this is _Larry _we're talking about."

"Exactly, it's Larry: Master of Pranks!" Phoenix's hand made the shape of a fist, ready to hit the table, but the rush of emotions made his head hurt even more. He cringed and rubbed his forehead. "Gumshoe, you don't have any painkillers, do you?"

"Not on me. Sorry, pal." Gumshoe scratched his head. "Shouldn't you have taken some before going out?"

…_Good point._

"Never mind the painkillers," Maya interrupted. "What's this prank you're both talking about?"

"Oh, that." Gumshoe chuckled. "Well, you know April May from that case where your sister was kil--" Gumshoe cleared his throat and sent Maya a sympathetic look. Maya nodded and gestured for him to keep talking. "Well, the Butz guy knew her too."

_April May…? _

Phoenix's eyes widened.

_Shit! I remember!_

"April May! She'd just got out of prison for perjury!" Phoenix ran a hand over his hair. "Oh, I bet he thought it would be hilarious to hire her for his little prank..."

"You remember, pal?" Gumshoe asked with a massive grin on his face.

Phoenix snorted. "The bastard led me down a side alley and started winking at something. That's when she came running up to us and told me--" Phoenix suddenly stopped and bit his lip.

"What? What did she tell you?" Maya pressed.

Phoenix rubbed the back of his neck. "She said she was… pregnant, and that the kid was mine," he mumbled.

Maya looked at him curiously for a second. "You believed her didn't you?" She burst out laughing when Phoenix didn't answer.

"It's not funny," Phoenix said weakly over her laughter. "I mean, it wasn't even possible because I'd never slept with her, so I guessed that she just… liked me."

"That's priceless!" Maya exclaimed

Phoenix felt his face heat up. "A-anyway, I realised the whole situation was a bit weird. Larry was standing there with this massive grin on his face, May started to giggle, and then he decided to shout 'April fool' at me." Phoenix sighed. "You're both right; I must have downed a hell of a lot of alcohol to forget this."

Maya giggled. "Who knew Larry was such a genius? _April_ Fool… that's too funny!"

_Please let that be the last time I have to hear you praise that idiot… _

"Now, this encounter with our first witness may have led us to a few answers about what happened _before_ entering the bar, but I still have no idea who I--" Phoenix glanced around the room.

_Oh, great. I bet all these detectives were listening in to Maya's hysterics._

"…Well, you know."

"Know what?" Gumshoe asked. Maya leaned across to whisper something to him. "Whoa, pal! Who's the lucky little girly then?"

_Girly…? Is he patronising me?_

"That's… kinda what I'm trying to find out," Phoenix replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You don't even remember that?"

"No, I really don't." Phoenix sighed and massaged his temples again.

_First, I forget the best bit of action I've have had in ages, and then I forget to take painkillers. It's not as if I didn't have enough damned time! Instead, I had to sit and read that stupid book…_

Phoenix paused. "Did either of you notice anyone carrying a book?"

Gumshoe raised an eyebrow. "A book?" He scratched his head. "No, sorry, pal. But Ema did have a notepad with her."

"No, I never noticed a book either," Maya said, playing with her ear. "Is it important?"

"Ah… it's nothing." Phoenix frowned.

_Where the hell did that thing come from if no one had it in the bar?_

"If you say so, Nick." Maya shrugged and turned to wave at Gumshoe. "Thanks for the help, Detective! If you can think of anything to help our 'case'…"

"You'll be the first people I call." Gumshoe grinned and waved at Maya and Phoenix as they left the department before trying to mop up his now cold, spilt coffee with one of the papers.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters or the game. They belong to Capcom. And I've written this without permission… so sorry.

**A/N:** Thanks yet again to my reviewers, love to you all :) Have patience, dear readers, the end is getting slightly nearer.

**Edit: **Revised for grammar, phrasing, layout and POV. I also forgot the legal age for drinking in America was 21. Sorry, Maya!

--

**Turnabout the Morning After  
**Chapter 4

_April 2__nd  
__1:48 PM  
__La Boîte de Bleue_

Phoenix tapped the bottle of painkillers he had just bought and swallowed two of them dry. Maya grinned at him and they both stopped to turn to face the building.

La Boîte de Bleue was a relatively modern structure with silver door frames and a big, blue, neon sign above the entrance. Phoenix could only just see though the tinted blue windows to see that the inside was decorated much the same. There were a lot of metal stools scattered around with hefty looking silver tables and the blue colour theme was carried on throughout.

_It's not too bad,_ Phoenix mused,_ just_ _very messy._

"Let's go in, Nick! I can't wait to investigate like real Detectives!" Maya exclaimed happily.

Phoenix pushed open the door and stepped in, followed closely by Maya. "Well this is cosy."

"Let's go interrogate someone!"

_I think she's taking this role a bit too seriously…_

Phoenix glanced around the room and he could only see two people. One of them was a middle-aged man sitting in the corner, looking very lonely. He had a whiskey glass in his hand and some kind of fishing hat on his head. The other was the barmaid in her blue uniform, who was busy chatting on her cell phone.

"Wow, so much choice, I don't know where to start," Phoenix commented dryly.

"It's midday, Nick, of course it's going to be slightly empty," Maya whispered back.

Maya dragged him over to an area at the right side of the room where a stool had been knocked over and shot glasses were covering the surface of the table. "Here's where we were sitting." She frowned. "I wonder why that stool is on its side? It looks like someone was in a rush to get up." She leaned in closer to Phoenix and lowered her voice. "You would have thought the barmaid would have sorted it out. In fact… she's left the whole table exactly as it was last night!"

"You mean, the stool wasn't like that before you left, but the rest is?" Maya shook her head and Phoenix perked up. "I'd say that's a clue! Whose stool was it?"

"Erm… it was yours, Nick." _I should have seen that one coming_. "I guess someone has either pushed you off it, or you've got a bit over-excited and fallen o--"

She was interrupted by the man in the corner as he mumbled something and then laughing creepily.

Phoenix took a step towards the door. "Can we hurry this exploration up a bit, please?"

Maya picked up the stool and got on all fours to look underneath the table. She resurfaced with a couple of beer bottle tops in her hand.

He looked at the bottle caps with a blank stare. "Uh… We're looking for evidence, not trying to clean this place up, Maya."

"This _is_ evidence."

Phoenix raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yes! You see, last night, no one had a beer!" She looked elated at that fact and grinned at Phoenix.

"I suppose that is kind of weird," Phoenix admitted, thaking them from her. "What did you have, then?"

"Coke. None of the others had beer, I'm sure of it. I mean, Gumshoe had lemonade, Ema had fizzy water and Edgeworth had some orange juice before that competition started."

_Hehe, Edgeworth in a drinking competition… It'll never get old. I wonder what made him join us..._

"Okay, you've made your point." Phoenix looked down at the floor and spotted something white sticking to his shoe. He picked it off. "Hey, it has writing on it. I must have caught it on my shoe when I stepped back…" The paper was ripped and the writing was illegible. He handed it to Maya who pocketed it.

"I told you it was worth coming here!"

_For a bit of wet paper and some dirty bottle caps?_

"What can I get you?" They turned on the spot as the voice called over from the bar.

Phoenix couldn't help but notice that the bar maid was quite pretty, even with the thick coating of makeup on her face. Her short, blonde hair was styled neatly into a bob and her revealing uniform showed a shapely figure.

_Wow, that is a very shapely figure…_

Maya noticed Phoenix staring and sharply pushed his chin up.

"You worked with my sister didn't you? Shouldn't you be used to seeing those?" She whispered in his ear.

_I wasn't leering at them or anything!_

"Oh… Sorry, we aren't here for drinks. We're doing a bit of 'investigating'." Phoenix rubbed the back of his neck. "I… erm… don't really remember last night."

"I remember you, law attorney, right?" Phoenix nodded. "I remember; you came in with Larry yesterday." She slid the phone in her hand up and down. "You were drunk last night, and quite chatty with it. I noticed how you tried to hit on other girls too, but you didn't get lucky with any of them."

Phoenix felt his face heat up. She glanced over at the door, seemingly disinterested about the conversation, and answered a text message on her mobile, before turning back to them.

"So… Ms… err…"

"Mrs Sophia Roberts."

_Mrs? Oh yeah, there's the ring. Shame I didn't notice that last night…_

"Mrs Roberts, do you know what time we entered and left the bar last night?"

"You came in at around seven, and then the young girl left with the tall guy at around nine. The rest of you left at ten." She went back to sliding her phone and staring at the door.

_Eh… Is she always this direct? How could she have spent so long on that phone of hers?_

"Ten seems really early to be leaving a bar," Phoenix muttered to himself. "That would give us only three hours in here, and a massive time gap in between then and the next morning…" He frowned. "_Anything_ could have happened!"

"Wow, you have a good memory for these things then?" Maya said with a look of admiration on her face.

"Not really. It's just my job to watch who enters and leaves the bar. If someone I know comes in, it seems to stick." Sophia smirked at Maya and went back to checking her messages.

"You didn't happen to see anything interesting happen at our table, did you?" Phoenix asked hopefully.

Sophia paused. "Well, there was one big thing," she answered. "I saw that girl with the pink glasses write something down. It mustn't have been something great cause you tried to take the notebook off her."

"Hold it! Do you have any idea what it said?"

"No, no. All I know is that you didn't like it."

Phoenix rubbed his chin. "Take that stool over there." He gestured over to where they'd been standing. "We found it on its side and a piece of lined paper was near it. Was that knocked over when I tried to grab the notebook?"

"Yes." Sophia slid the phone up and down. "You also managed to rip a piece off, which caused a big argument."

"Hold it! This commotion didn't happen to be the thing that made us all leave, did it?"

Sophia smirked and looked at Phoenix properly for the first time, shutting her phone. "You do know we aren't in court, Mr. Lawyer? There is no need to do all this guessing."

Phoenix smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. I'll shut up."

"Well, you got it all right." Sophia opened her phone and sent another text before continuing her story. "The girl wrote something down, you made a grab for it and tore the page, which sent the stool flying. She looked hurt, and even that posh guy with the frills took notice of the argument that happened. Larry dragged you all out in the end, probably to save face."

"How do you know Larry, Sophia?" Maya asked.

"Let's just say we have a history," Sophia answered with a frown.

_Ah, so this is the ex-girlfriend he was blabbing about! _

"I've told you everything I know." She smirked and looked up at them. "If you've finished your questions, and you're not getting anything…"

"Uh…" Phoenix glanced over at Maya who shook her head. "Well, thanks for your help! Hope your business goes well."

Sophia didn't seem to be paying any attention as she looked down at her phone again

"I think that's our cue to leave Nick," Maya whispered.

The man in the corner waved to them, and then toppled off his stool laughing.

Phoenix nodded and quickly led the way out the door.

--

_April 2__nd  
__2:05 PM  
__Prosecution Offices_

Phoenix and Maya both pushed their way through the revolving door into the foyer. At one end was the reception desk with a busy-looking receptionist answering calls and stacking papers. A plush sofa was on the right, with a water dispenser next to it. There was a lift on the left wall with the option of steps to the right of it.

_A whole year and they haven't redecorated? I'm surprised._

Phoenix turned to Maya. "I… err… think we should split up so we can get this done in half the time. We can meet back up at the office."

Maya looked at Phoenix in disbelief. "_What_?!"

"I hate having to hang round these offices!" Phoenix protested. "Prosecutors really freak me out with all their fancy furniture..."

"But, Nick!" Maya grabbed Phoenix's arm. "I don't want to be here on my own!" She pouted at him. "What if one of them shoots me in the elevator?!"

Phoenix laughed, but shut up as Maya glared at him.

_Oh, she was being serious…_

"Look, Maya--" Phoenix cut himself off to look down at his arm.

Maya removed her hand and blushed.

"I really don't think there will be a mad, trigger-happy prosecutor ready to end their career for one measly defence lawyer's partner's death waiting in that elevator, Maya," Phoenix said. "And being with me isn't going to help, even if there is."

Maya sighed and looked down at the floor. "All right, if you say so. I hope you can live with yourself after I get shot down from following your orders!"

Phoenix grinned down at her. "Can you go and find Ema for me and ask her about that notebook?"

"I suppose I can…" She muttered half-heartedly. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to visit Edgeworth. Though, I doubt he'll remember anything more than I do."

_You never know, he might actually be able to tell me some useful information for once._

Phoenix hugged Maya goodbye and left through the revolving door.

--

_April 2__nd  
__2:07 PM  
__Prosecution Offices_

Not really ready to end her life in a lift in the middle of the prosecutor's offices, Maya decided to take the stairs. She had been told by Ema that today was the day she could finally go and tidy up all of her sister's belongings after a year long investigation.

Maya grinned at the prospect of finally finding out what had happened, and started to race up the stairs two at a time.

It was about time Nick found someone; she'd do everything she could to help.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters or the game. They belong to Capcom. And I've written this without permission… so sorry.

**A/N: **Eek, a bit of a cliff hanger at the end, here. All I'm going to say is I have left a very big clue… and I shall say no more! All will be explained eventually :)

Still, thanks go to my reviewers! Love to all my readers.

**Edit: **Revised for grammar, phrasing, layout and POV.

--

**Turnabout the Morning After  
**Chapter 5

_April 2nd  
__2:13 PM  
__Miles Edgeworth's Hotel Room_

Phoenix knocked on the door and leaned against it as he waited for the click that told him Miles had unlocked the safety catch.

Unbeknown to him, however, it had been off all day.

He toppled backwards onto whoever had opened the door, sending them sprawling together onto the floor.

"Ha-ha! Absolutely class, Nick!" Larry shouted from somewhere in the room. He clapped loudly and stepped over to the pile of bodies to lend Phoenix a hand getting up. "Wish I'd thought of that, dude."

Phoenix scowled at him.

"Wright, what are you doing here?" Miles asked, slowly getting up from his position on the floor, looking a bit flushed in the cheeks. He started to dust down his burgundy suit.

"Same could be asked to this idiot." Phoenix sent Larry a glare.

Larry grinned and stuck his thumb up. "Edgey asked me to come, didn't you, Edgey?" He frowned and scratched his head. "To be honest, dude, we can't remember much about last night."

"I know the feeling; that's pretty much why I'm here." Phoenix paused. "Hey, why wasn't I invited to your little social gathering!?" He pouted. "I was there last night as well, you know."

"Couldn't get hold of you Nick," Larry answered with a shrug. "You should turn your brick on from time to time."

_Hey! It's not a brick! It's just…not ridiculously small..._

"Larry has been about as helpful as a bloody brick," Miles added. "Though, he did mention a certain prank he had pulled." He smirked at Phoenix.

"Thanks for reminding me, Edgeworth." Miles bowed and Phoenix turned around to face Larry square on. "I owe you one, Mr. Larry Butz."

"Ooh, you used my whole name. Geez, that made me so scared that I'm shaking in my shoes," Larry muttered. "Tell him what we dug out our brains, Edgey."

"We have managed to scrape a few facts together," Miles said. "Things like the name of the bar, the time we went in. Nothing of interest really came up."

_Perhaps I can get them to remember something more. I'll jog their memories a bit…_

"So, do you know two remember about the drinking competition we had?"

Miles looked at Phoenix blankly and Larry fidgeted a bit.

"Wright, I highly doubt I would ever enter into such an uncivilised social activity as a drinking competition," Miles replied dryly.

Larry bit his tongue, a sheepish look on his face.

"Oh, no, Larry... Say you didn't," Phoenix stated with a smirk.

"I…uh… Didn't do what, Nick?" Larry asked, not quite being able to meet his eyes.

Phoenix shook his head and reached into his pocket and took out the bottle caps. "Perhaps you could enlighten me on why there would be beer caps at a table where no one had _knowingly_ drank beer?"

"D-dude, where the hell did you get those?"

"You put beer in an unsuspecting person's orange juice in the hope that they would join in with your little games, didn't you?" Phoenix continued.

"I… I don't know what you're talking about," Larry said nervously.

Miles turned to scowl at him.

"Were you adding alcohol to my drinks?" He asked Larry, his voice dangerously calm.

"Erm…I might have… But, I also might not have..."

_It looks like the boot is on the other foot, my friend._

"Still, we had a good time, right, Edgey?" Larry grinned at them.

"I have no idea, Larry, did we?" Miles asked in the same tone of voice. "If I've done _anything_ idiotic, I'm holding you responsible." Miles' fists clenched for a second, but then relaxed again.

Phoenix chuckled.

_Unlucky, Larry._

"I don't see what you're laughing about, Wright," Miles snapped. "I saw that mark on your neck when you fell on top of me before. Are you so pathetic that you can't even remember who you were with last night?"

Phoenix's smile faded and he felt his cheeks heat up.

_Uh… Why did he have to bring that up now? Couldn't he have kept it to himself in front of Larry?_

_...And how the hell__** did **__he see it?!_

"Don't get mad at me, Edgeworth," Phoenix retorted. "Just because you can't handle a drink, it doesn't mean I should get the blame for it." Phoenix loosened his collar in hope that it would cool him down.

"Whoa, Nick, you have a lurve bite!" Larry exclaimed and pointed at said spot on Phoenix's neck. Phoenix quickly pulled his collar back up and felt his face heat up even more. "Hah, and I bet you can't even remember it!"

"Yeah, well, I guess I am pretty pathetic." Phoenix sighed. "I bet she was the best bit of action I've had in ages, and I just go and forget it all." He looked down at the floor.

Miles sighed and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Sorry for being a bitch, Wright."

Phoenix smiled weakly. "Good, so you should be."

_I wouldn't expect any less from you, Edgeworth._

Larry studied the two of them for a second. "Did you get lucky as well, Edgey?"

Miles turned to face him and let his hand drop off Phoenix's shoulder. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"Well, Nick has obviously had some fun, even if he can't remember it, and I woke up in some gorgeous babe's bed, only to find out it wasn't my Maria!"

"Hold it, you mean you cheated on your girlfriend?" Phoenix stared at Larry in disbelief.

"Ah, well, Maria and I, we… uh… haven't seen each other in a week. She wasn't returning my calls and sent back the box of chocolates I gave her..."

Phoenix frowned.

_What worries me is that I'm really not surprised she's ditched you. _

"Anyway, we both had a bit of fun, so you must have got lucky too, seeing as a lot of the girls in the bar were eyeing you up, dude." Larry rubbed his chin. "I think they liked your frills."

"My… frills?" Miles blinked and the colour seemed to drain from his face.

"Yea, that cravaty thingy you wear." Larry grinned. "Would you mind lending me it?" He winked at Miles.

_He really knows how to get Edgeworth wound up, doesn't he?_

"I highly doubt it will make you any more attractive to women, Larry," Miles replied. "You couldn't get away with wearing such a sophisticated item as a cravat, anyway."

Phoenix snorted and quickly covered his mouth.

"What's so amusing, Wright?" Miles asked, his mouth forming a slight smile.

Phoenix blinked at him.

_That's not right. Since when has Miles Edgeworth made a joke?_

He laughed through his fingers and tried helplessly to get his breath back.

"Nick, why are you laughing? I don't get it, what's so funny?!" Larry scratched his head.

"Don't worry, Larry, it's just his screw coming loose."

"Uh…Okay…"

Phoenix eventually calmed down and started to breathe normally again. He let his hand drop. "Is Larry right, Edgeworth? Did you manage to seduce a lady and win her over with your frills?" He grinned at him.

"No, I did not," Miles answered quickly,

_A little too quickly there, Edgeworth…_

"You did, didn't you, Edgey? I knew it!" Larry jumped on the spot and his fist pummelled the air. "I knew it!".

"What part of 'No' do you not understand, Larry?" Miles said hotly. "I did _not_ bring a female companion home last night!"

"Oh…" Larry paused. "That must mean it was a male companion, then! I knew it! I knew you were gay!"

"I didn't bring _anyone_ home with me last night," Miles answered through his teeth.

Larry blinked. "Eh…? Are you sure?"

"Yes," Miles replied.

"Really sure?"

"Yes."

"Really, really sure?"

"Yes."

"Well, that's good enough for me! Guess I was wrong after all." Larry slumped down onto the leather couch and picked up a glass of water from the coffee table. "God, I'm parched." He glanced around the room. "Hey, Edgey, you don't have anything a bit stronger, do you?"

_How can he even think about drinking after all the alcohol he had last night!?_

Phoenix sat down next to him and studied the hotel room for the first time since he had entered. Edgeworth had already introduced his own style into the room; everything looked straight and in its place. He had even arranged all the books on the shelf in alphabetical order.

Phoenix snickered. "Hey, Edgeworth, what's with the alphabetical books?"

"It's merely a habit, Wright," Miles answered. "It's like the way you always know Larry will put up his feet on the coffee table." He pointedly looked over in said man's direction, making Larry hastily remove his feet from the coffee table.

"Sorry, dude, I just can't help it! It's like having an itch you just have to scratch."

They sat laughing, drinking water – no matter how much Larry complained, Miles wasn't about to hand over the rum bottle - and occasionally talked about the past. It was a short little reminiscing session, but Phoenix enjoyed being with his childhood friends again.

As Larry and Miles got in a argument about some paper cranes, Phoenix went back to examining the room. He suddenly turned quiet when his eyes caught the bookcase once again.

He blinked at the shelf.

O_h, hell no… _

Phoenix rubbed his eyes.

_This…It can't…'M' isn't there…? _

He quickly jumped to his feet with wide eyes, the cogs in his mind were whirring at full speed._"_What the_ hell_?!_"_

"Nick...? What is it?" Larry asked, both him and Miles looking up at Phoenix with confused expressions.

Phoenix stared at the bookshelf and shook his head. "No... That's not possible... No way...!"

_-Bang bang bang-_

Miles quickly went to open the door to stop the frenzied knocks as Phoenix stared at the bookshelf. A girl pushed passed him and stood in front of them all, before shouting loudly:

"It was me, okay! I gave him the mark!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters or the game. They belong to Capcom. And I've written this without permission… so sorry.

**A/N: **This chapter starts out very boring, is very short, can't get Ema/Maya's characters right and it sucks big time for the most part.

Still lots of love to reviewers, yum!

**Edit: **Revised for grammar, phrasing, layout and POV.

--

**Turnabout the Morning After**  
Chapter 6

_April 2nd  
__2:10 PM  
__Chief Prosecutor's Office_

Maya opened the door with 'Lana Skye' written on the plaque. Inside, there was a huge pile of taped up cardboard boxes. She could see a long haired, brunette girl, who was wearing a lab coat, in the corner of the room sorting through a file cabinet. The girl turned around and beckoned Maya over.

"Hey, Ema, how's the clean up going?" Maya asked, stepping over a couple of boxes to get to where Ema was crouching.

"Its hell. I can't believe Lana had so many cases over the years! It's really quite depressing reading all the reports." Ema looked down glumly at the file she had in her hand, before tossing it into an open box.

"Oh, sorry to hear that…" Maya twiddled a bit with her hair. "So... err... What kind of things are you interested in then?" She mentally scolded herself on the pathetic ice breaker.

Ema's eyes lit up. "I'm into scientific investigating! It's always interested me, ever since I was tiny." She pulled down the glasses over her eyes. "Science has already proved so much, and being able to harness it into a way of defeating crime is just perfect!" She then pushed her glasses back up and started going through the filing cabinet in front of her.

Maya sighed. There was no way she could relate to her through science...

However, crime she _could_ talk about.

"Wow, that's interesting!" Maya exclaimed. "I work with Nick a lot, and it seems your job is dead important in finding out the truth."

Ema beamed up at her. "I saw you in court with Mr Wright yesterday!" She tossed another file into the box and struggled to get up off the floor. "Was it you who gathered everyone last night?"

"Yeah, it was." Maya held out her hand. The bottles in Ema's bag rattled together a bit as she heaved her up. "Did you enjoy it?"

"Thanks!" Ema swiped a notebook out of her pocket and lowered her pink glasses down onto her eyes. "Well, last night... Hmm. It was... interesting, to say the least." She started to flip through the pages of the book, scanning each one for a second or two. "Scientifically speaking, the amount of alcohol that was drank should have caused memory loss and a lot of sickness. It's a good job I was taking notes all night…" Ema stopped at a page and frowned. "Oh, I've lost a bit of this one."

She stuck her hand into her pocket and rummaged around. When she eventually brought her hand back out, there was a piece of dog food, some stale looking rainbow drops and an empty chocolate bar wrapper in her fist.

"Do you remember much of what happened then?" Maya looked down curiously at Ema's handful of rubbish.

"Oh, yes, and now I think about it, this page must have been ripped when I took note of something Mr. Wright said."

Maya took the torn paper she had found and handed it to Ema.

"That's the bit I was missing!" She exclaimed, taking it from Maya. "Where'd you get it?"

Maya explained her story, right from the start of that morning when she first called Nick, and ending at the evidence she had collected from the bar. "So then Nick asked me to come here and see what you could tell us about this notebook incident."

Ema frowned. "Well, it seems Mr. Wright has ripped the wrong page, after all. He only managed to catch the page about that April fool." Ema closed the notebook. "Here, take it. It'd be more specific then if I had to explain everything." She handed over the book to Maya who accepted it.

"Thank you so much, Ema!" She said goodbye before walking out the room and out of the Prosecution Offices. Maya flipped open the book and found the spot she had been looking for and started to read as she made her way to meet up with Phoenix.

--

_April 2nd  
__2:26 PM  
__Gatewater Hotel_

Maya reread the notes again, and then a second time.

"I think I've solved this case." She gulped and realised she had already reached the hotel.

Maya started to laugh at poor Ema's conclusions in the notes on the way up to the room. How the girl had managed to pair her and Gumshoe, and then not notice the other couple, astounded her. But, then again, it was probably simply another one of her quirky characteristics.

The only thing about this whole situation was that Phoenix would probably be distraught about who he had been with last night. She really wanted to do all she could to make it easier for him to accept the truth.

She felt really rotten walking up the stairs, but she still stuck by her decision.

Phoenix couldn't discover the truth himself; she would have to ease the truth onto him.

Maya stood outside the door to Edgeworth's room and was about to knock, when she heard Phoenix shout from inside. She frantically knocked on the door and burst in, a million thoughts at once going through her mind.

What made her say what she did next, she didn't know. All she did know was that she had to protect Phoenix as much as she could.

"It was me, okay! I gave him the mark!" Maya shouted at the top of her voice.

And she instantly regretted it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters or the game. They belong to Capcom. And I've written this without permission… so sorry.

**A/N:** Ah, plot twisting, cliffhanging, penultimate, evil little chapter. **Warning!** Massive spoilers for the JFA case 4 :)

To my brilliant and gorgeous reviewers: The usual thanks and love… and cookies. :3

**Edit: **Revised for grammar, phrasing, layout and POV.

--

**Turnabout the Morning After**  
Chapter 7

_April 2nd  
__2:30 PM  
__Miles Edgeworth's Hotel Room_

Silence filled the whole room.

Miles was still holding the door wide open, staring straight at Phoenix. Maya was looking a bit nervous standing in the middle of the room, her eyes permanently fixed onto the floor. Larry had sat up straight and was blinking rapidly.

_God, I must look a right idiot with my mouth down to my knees. Just_ _say __something__… __**Anything**__!_

"Hi, there, Maya, what are you doing here?"

_Oh yes. Brilliant, witty, intellectual and not at all awkward ._

_Thanks, brain._

"Nick, dude, I think Maya here has solved your little case for you," Larry commented.

Miles remained silent.

"I…uh… I'm sorry I didn't tell you before Nick," Maya mumbled, her eyes plastered to the floor. "I just... suddenly remembered what had happened, you see…"

"Oh, is that right?" Phoenix smiled gently.

_Don't worry, Maya; I won't be mad at you for this._

_But, they need to know the truth._

"Look, you don't have to lie to me, Maya. I know who it was, and I'm perfectly fine with it."

Maya's eyes snapped up to blink at Phoenix. "B-but it was… I… We…"

"There's no use denying it, Nick. She obviously remembers something." Larry propped his feet back onto the coffee table and put his hands behind his head.

Miles shut the door and went to lean against the wall with his arms crossed looking as calm and collected as ever.

"Sorry, Maya. It looks like I'm going to have to rip off your lies to reveal the naked truth beneath…"

_Because that doesn't sound full of innuendo at all..._

He felt the heat rise to his face and quickly added, "I mean, I can prove you're lying."

Maya blinked again. "...You can?"

Phoenix nodded, his hands on his hips. "For a start, I know as a fact that you left way before anything ever really happ--"

"Objection!"

_Huh__...?_

Phoenix blinked and turned to face Miles.

He smirked at Phoenix and took a step towards him, unfolding his arms. "Wright, how are we to know the time of your interaction? You can 't prove she wasn't there as you have no idea of when it actually happened."

_So you're going to play along?_

_That suits me fine._

"Overruled, Edgeworth." Phoenix smirked. "The very fact that I can't remember clearly shows it was_ after _our little drinking competition." He paused and turned to Larry. "Who won, by the way?"

"I think Edgey beat you and me hands down," Larry said, rubbing his chin. "I can't believe he could down that much after I'd given him all that beer. Who knew the stick-in-the-mud could handle so much?"

"I am still in the room you know." Miles said dryly.

Larry grinned cheekily at Miles. "Yeah, I know."

Miles rolled his eyes and turned back to Phoenix. "If Mr. Butz and I have sorted out the times correctly, I think you'll find Maya did not leave until an hour after the competition."

_Damn it, he's right. I've got to look at it from a different angle… _

Phoenix stroked his chin. "That's true, she has opportunity, but what would be her motive and where's the hard evidence?" Phoenix shook his head and took a step towards Miles pointing his finger "Provide us with some proof, Mr. Edgeworth."

Maya looked at the two of them, her gaze flickering between Phoenix and Miles.

"Gladly." The smug smile on Miles' face made Phoenix flinch a bit.

_What the hell is he going to drag up now? _

Miles reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet.

"Edgeworth, now is not the time to be fixing evidence. I'm not cheap."

_... I've got to stop it with the innuendo._

Miles shook his head and withdrew a card.

"Hold it, what's that?" Phoenix narrowed his eyes. "If this is some kind of joke…"

"I think you'll find it is a legitimate piece of evidence, Wright." Miles turned the card around and tapped it as if it really were evidence.

Phoenix blinked. It was a drawing of him on a Shelly de Killer card, and it was labelled 'Nick'.

"The defence questions the prosecution's mental health, if he thinks this proves anything," Phoenix said stubbornly.

"Maya drew this while she was kidnapped down in Mr. Engarde's cellar," Miles replied. "As you can see, it has your nickname that only a select amount of people call you, those three being; Pearl Fey, the defendant and Larry. This obviously shows strong feelings on the defendant's behalf."

Maya looked flustered. "Err... Mr. Edgeworth, where did you get that?"

"I acquired it last week from my sister, but that doesn't matter at the moment." Miles' eyes challenged Phoenix to respond.

"Fair enough." Phoenix crossed his arms. "You may have provided a sort of motive and a questionable opportunity, but where your hard evidence is, I don't know." Phoenix shook his head. "It doesn't add up. Maya was with Detective Gumshoe, playing snap. Surely he would have noticed if we had left? And why choose that night to get with me if she was sober and I was ridiculously drunk?" He grinned. "Explain all that… Miles."

Miles flinched and took another step towards Phoenix, pointing his finger. "There_is_ concrete evidence; the testimony from the witness claiming she remembers what happened! And, of course, that bloody mark on your neck."

Larry had taken his chance to stop staring at the two grown men with their little game and looked down at the book that was in Maya's hand. "Holy shit!" He interrupted loudly. "Nick, I think you should read that little book, dude, it says I left with _two_ women!"

"Hey, Maya, you found it!" Phoenix reached out his hand and Maya passed it to him regretfully.

_Let's see what she's been hiding from me, then, shall we?_

--

_Notes to self: _

_The girl in the purple outfit left with the good Detective. He obviously likes a younger woman._

_Mr. Edgeworth thinks sandy-guy is a 'Bloody idiot'. He gets easily worked up when sandy-guy talks. It's best to keep them apart._

_Sandy-guy likes to wink at people and slap Mr. Edgeworth and Mr. Wright on the back whenever they make a joke. Name still under question._

_Mr. Wright has failed to get the attention of another woman. I don't think he's good at making friends when he's drunk._

_Sandy-guy's name is Larry. He likes to suggest weird things - like handcuffs - to people, and he's a bit mentally unstable. Makes me laugh._

_Mr. Wright gave up chatting to other people and got rather sulky. There's no point talking to him after he's not managed to make friends._

_Mr. Edgeworth is better at making friends, as suspected. People like to play with his cravat. Perhaps this is a new social activity I should try out?_

_Larry falls over easily. Don't bother standing next to him in future. He's heavy._

_Mr Wright perks up a bit when he's with Mr. Edgeworth or Larry. Good way of getting him in a cheerful mood. Still, he won't try making friends with any of the women again. He prefers to sit and talk with Mr. Edgeworth._

_Barmaid's uniforms are too revealing, even if it does mean making a good social network. Another career choice I'm not going into along with zoo keeper or traffic warden. Scientific investigation seems to be the only logical and interesting choice._

_Larry's flaky. Women don't appreciate him slapping them on the backside._

_Mr. Wright gets jealous of Larry easily._

_Mr. Wright seems to think Mr. Edgeworth is hot. It actually seems rather nippy in here; bad judgement of temperature. I wouldn't trust him to tell you the weather._

_Mr. Edgeworth doesn't mind this character flaw and seems rather happy with Mr. Wright's statement. He likes to compliment Mr. Wright. He sure is a nice guy as I can't see what's so nice about Mr. Wright's lips. They're quite ordinary._

_Mr. Wright said something very uncharacteristic to Mr. Edgeworth. He sa--_ at this point, there was a big pen mark across the page.

_Mr. Wright prefers not to let his personal life written down. I will keep note taking in front of him a bit more discreet in future._

_Larry left with two women. Mr. Wright, Mr. Edgeworth and I are pretty cold waiting for the bus. I should remember to get driver's licence as soon as possible._

_I left Mr. Wright and Mr. Edgeworth to get some new ultra-violet equipment I saw in a shop. They are obviously very good friends, even when they are drunk, and they are definitely comfortable of their sexuality. _

--

Phoenix blinked and reread it. He blinked again.

_The reason Maya lied to me was to cover this truth. _

_She must have thought I'd find it hard to cope with... _

_By pining all the blame on her, then we could easily sweep it away as another of my drunken mistakes. _

_But, oddly, I don't find it too hard to believe..._

"Um, Nick, we're kinda all waiting here. Could you make that brain of yours work a bit faster and just tell us what on earth you're thinking, dude," Larry commented.

_Okay, here goes nothing._

Phoenix took a big breath in and another step towards Miles taking his turn to point the finger. They were so close that he almost touched the man.

"The defendant is not guilty. I have reason to believe that, Edegworth, _you _gave me the mark last night!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters or the game. They belong to Capcom. And I've written this without permission… so sorry.

**A/N: **Well, here is the last instalment, I hoped you enjoyed everything. It's the longest chapter as I felt I needed to round things off nicely. (Plus, I've given Phoenix a name fetish)

Read, review, complain, praise, critique!

Thanks for putting up with the suspense all the way through to my repeated reviewers who came back for more, and to the single reviewers also, and to those who have added the story to their favourites. You have all made me very happy :)

---------------

**Chapter 8**

April 2nd

2:40 pm

Miles Edgeworth's Hotel Room

"Whoa, Nick, I didn't know you swung that way mate," Larry seemed to back off a bit "and what about Maya? God, you've confused me dude." His face scrunched in thought and he scratched his head trying to get his head around this sudden turn of events. _As always, about as observant and intelligent as an orange._

"Phoenix…" he was a bit startled at the use of his first name emitting from Miles' mouth, especially the way he made it sound so…nice. It sent a bit of a shiver down Phoenix's spine, not that he would ever admit that of course. "I don't get it. What are you suggesting, how can you come to such a conclusion?" They hadn't moved away, still challenging each other in the court-atmosphere to see who would back down first.

Maya spoke up, she was smiling at him "Nick, read it out. You've got me all fluttery!" Then she mouthed something that looked a lot like 'thank you', god was she relieved that he'd taken the whole thing so well, that stupid statement she said before… well, it was stupid.

"Oh right… that might help a bit. Here is a record of what happened last night provided by Miss Ema Skye," His hand dropped, had it really been pointing at Miles all that time? Phoenix cleared his throat and read out the lines that interested him and the rest of the room the most:

"Mr Wright seems to think Mr Edgeworth is hot. It actually seems rather nippy in here, (he has a) bad judgement of temperature. Mr Edgeworth doesn't mind this character flaw and seems rather happy with Mr Wright's statement. He likes to compliment Mr Wright. He sure is a nice guy as I can't see what's so nice about Mr Wright's lips, they're quite ordinary_."_

Larry stared blankly at Phoenix "Yea, so, what's your point? Edgey is a pretty civil guy, and you are pretty crap at telling the weather, what has that got to do with you and him? I guess it's you and not Edgey who's gay with frills seeing as though you imagined all that… man, you haven't thought about me in that way have you?" Larry looked genuinely startled at his reasoning.

"What the hell Larry?"

"Well, I mean with the stupid pink suit, the fluffy cravat, and the lack of interest in all those girls…and yet you're the bent one?" Phoenix shook his head in disbelief at Larry's logic and was about to reply until someone cut across him.

"As I stated before, Larry, I am still in the room." Miles looked indifferent. His emotions hadn't changed and this shook Phoenix slightly. _Where's the disgusted looks?_ _What I said hasn't affected him in the slightest…that's just weird. _"He is right, Wright. This statement does not show any romantic inclination whatsoever." He sneered at Phoenix "Prove it. Prove that ridiculous assumption of yours with evidence, not someone else's stupid thoughts."

"So, you're not denying it Edgeworth?" Phoenix raised an eyebrow at him.

"How can I when I do not remember the events of last night?" They were standing close, neither of them wanting to move and finding it hard to look anywhere other then into the others eyes.

"Mr Edgeworth, does this mean you have no feelings for Nick?" Maya had spoken up and was looking at him curiously. He broke eye contact and stared into space for a second.

"That is correct. If anything did happen it was through no feelings of mine, and I blame the idiot sitting over there who effectively drugged me into high-heaven." _Git._

"Haha, he got you good there dude, Edgey doesn't repay your feelings."

"Hey, since when did I even say I had feelings for him?" _Gah, people always assume stuff about me before I even say it._ "Look, all I want is to know the flaming truth. I woke up this morning to a banging headache and a blank space in my mind only to find a bruise on my neck that I couldn't have put there, I just want to know who did this and why!" Phoenix was getting really worked up with the whole situation, he'd finally solved the case and yet no one seemed to believe him. Miles just looked at him for what seemed the millionth time that day.

"So you're not gay then Nick?"

He turned round, pretty fed up with the homophobe in the corner "No, I'm not. Do you think I would have tried to chat up all those women last night if I was?" Larry seemed to relax and shrugged his shoulders.

"Fair point, just as long as you don't start to get your 'pleasures' from images of me doing stuff every night everything's ok with me man." _I doubt anyone does that Larry._ He got up from his seating position. "I've had enough of this, thanks for the entertainment guys, at least now I know what happened to me last night."

"Where are you going? Don't you want to hear the truth? I sure do!" Maya looked a bit dismayed at being left on her own.

"I'm off to find my poor little Maria; she'll want that new bouquet of lilies I bought her. Good luck with the case, I'm sure you'll find out who it is in the end." He winked and with that he opened the door and walked out of the room waving good bye and tapped his friends on the back to watch them turn round the wrong way to run down the staircase laughing.

Phoenix pondered on his friend's words as he watched him run wildly down the stairs "Uh… Edgeworth, you're not really 'gay with frills' are you?"

"…I don't think my sexuality is any of your business Wright." _…is that a yes?_

"Mr Edgeworth, do you believe us or not? I'm pretty sure it was you who gave Nick a love bite. You were drunk, it's understandable…"

"Hey, are you saying he'd have to be off his head to even consider kissing me?" Phoenix had interrupted without thinking and quickly shut up, biting his lip.

Maya laughed "All I'm saying is it could have been a drunken mistake if he did and, well, we wouldn't make any more of it." _Speak for yourself_... _stuck up sod he is. Why won't he just accept it?_

"Look Miss Fey, I appreciate you trying to reason with me but I'm going to keep denying it till you show me some dammed proof." Phoenix hoped he wouldn't have to bring up what he had been musing about before Maya had broken in, it was proof enough to him but the thought that Phoenix had come to Miles' hotel room scared him a bit.

"Edgeworth, look at your bookshelf over there. Does anything strike you as odd about it?" He didn't move a muscle. Phoenix grabbed his shoulders, with a lot of protest from Miles, to swing him to face the shelf.

"Wright, if you're talking about my re-arranging of the books then you're denser than I thought." Phoenix put his chin up slightly to Edgeworth's ear to whisper something, Miles could feel his warm breath on the back of his neck and it tickled him a bit.

"Look at the 'M' section, there's one missing isn't there?" He was right; there was a gap in the shelves… "The book that's gone, it was called '_Memories'_ wasn't it?" Miles lost whatever colour that was left in his pale cheeks "I'm betting that this room was in a bit of a mess this morning…" he pushed Phoenix away from him and turned round, his eyes narrowed.

"Alright. You two have proved your point, I was the one who gave you a nip on the neck last night Wright. Happy now?"

They were and they danced on the spot for a bit. "Yey, you've solved the case Nick!"

Phoenix stopped and saw Miles looking quite at a loss. "Hey, I'm sure we weren't stupid enough to go too far. It wasn't like I woke up in your bed or anything Edgeworth, cheer up a bit you miserable drunkard. Oooh, does this mean I get to call you pathetic for not remembering too?" he gave him a glare of distaste.

"Sorry that you two had a bit of a drunken mistake and it wasn't a special someone like I suggested, but it could happen to anyone. Don't worry we won't mention it, Nick has done stupider things in his time." Maya clasped her hands together and beamed up at Phoenix "It's been three hours since I last had anything to eat and I'm starving, let's meet back to the office and have a feast to celebrate!"

"Ok Maya, I'll stop by later with some food." He hugged her good bye and she cheerily waved to Miles who slightly nodded his head in acknowledgement. When she had gone, Phoenix turned to follow.

**(A/N: For 'suggestive-Yaoi/Slash' haters who have enjoyed the fic stop reading here, halt, it was all a drunken mistake, no feelings involved and they all went to the pub to celebrate and lived happily ever after, apart from Larry who wasn't invited for pulling such a mean trick on Phoenix and Miles. Now the rest may continue…)**

"Don't go…" he felt Miles grab him by the arm.

"What now Edgeworth? I think we've worked it all out by now." A sudden feeling of anger rode up inside Phoenix, why was Miles getting him to stay after all he'd done to deny it? He was irritated at how the other man had told Maya how he had no feelings for Phoenix, he was miffed about the fact he couldn't remember his night of passion, he felt hurt that he was just another drunken mistake, he was annoyed that Edgeworth had called it a 'nip on the neck' (that was such a stupid way of explaining it) but the one thing that really ticked him off was that it was Miles who had done it to him, why did all this bother him so much? No, he hadn't ever thought of him as more than a friend, but wouldn't a real friend face up to what they had done?

"Writing a novel in there Wright?" he smirked at him.

"…huh?" Phoenix stopped seething and relaxed, forgetting his anger.

"You weren't listening were you?" Phoenix looked at him, bewildered. "I just asked you if you could still accept me, after all that has happened, and whether or not we can still be… friends."

"S…sure, we can still be friends." He hesitated, what were all those thoughts before about? _Ah well you only live once. _Phoenix reached across to embrace Miles in a –_manly_**-** hug, he felt the man accept this gesture and they stood for a minute in the hotel room thinking about what could have happened the night before and if they had truly enjoyed it. He broke the –_manly_**-** hug.

Miles seemed to ponder a bit on his next thought "Phoenix," _Ugh, there's the irresistible first-name-usage again._ "You know you asked me about my sexuality before…"

"Mmmhuh." He didn't trust himself to speak after that batch of spine tingling goodness.

"Well… it is possible to like both you know." _Who are you referring to here? _"You did call me hot after all."

"Edgeworth, now is not the time to be taking the mick out of my temperature judging, I've just started to forgive you for being a stuck up jerk, unless of course you want to hire me to be your personal thermometer?" the other man nearly smiled, very nearly.

"You did not answer my question Wright." _He asked me a question? _Phoenix raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I'm still very attracted to girls, but last night is not just going to go away is it? I suppose there might have been a reason why I let you give me a hickey, and I have a sneaking suspicion you don't want to leave everything as it is anyways."

Miles didn't. "Last night, we were pissed and I was probably attracted to you. I will admit that."

"What Edgeworth? You mean you weren't just being civil last night, as suggested by our highly intelligent friend, and you were in fact hitting on me?" He was amused by the other man but was also quite touched that he was telling him this. Miles closed his eyes to remain serious and continued.

"I think I still want to."

"…huh?" That was the second time Miles had made him speechless.

"Right here, this moment, I have been perfectly sober all this time and yet I still can not stop myself from admiring your unique hair, the way you smelt when you fell onto me, the feeling of your warm breath on my neck, the way those eyes stare right through me…"

"Wow, that's…err…deep."

"…the way you sweat bullets when you can't figure something out, and then you always manage to work it out in the end, then when you laugh at me or crack a joke and…oh Christ Phoenix," _Ah, stop using my first name. _

_Stopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopitstopit_

_Why does it turn me on? Why, God, why? Damn that man and his sexy-Phoenix-speaking voice. _"…your lips, Ema was wrong, they are not ordinary, they entice me..."

Phoenix panicked at this point and backed off holding his hands out in front of him "Whoa, hold it there Edgeworth, there is only so far you can go! Do you really think all this about me, seriously?" Miles didn't move a muscle as his eyes flickered open; he was rooted to the spot.

"Have you not noticed me trying to figure it out this whole time? I have certainly stared at you enough today, but these bloody feelings…"

"Hold it! You've just contradicted yourself; you told Maya before that you had no feelings for me. I thought I was just a drunken mistake." It was true, Miles had been staring at him, a lot, but he had dismissed the possibility of his attraction.

"I lied."

"You…lied?" Phoenix could feel his throat going dry, not a good sign. He licked his drying lips but then remembered what Miles had just said and stopped, surely that would just be rubbing it in to the poor man. He looked down at his watch, it was only three, and god had that gone slowly…

"I am sorry for lying, Phoenix," Phoenix let out a slight, little moan but then quickly raised his hands to his mouth in frustration, he couldn't show that effect Miles had on him, it was wrong. Thankfully, he hadn't noticed. "I honestly thought my mind was playing tricks on me, that I was not really jealous of your mystery lover, then I heard your accusation and I did not want to believe it, but then you proved it, as you always do…"

"Well, thank you for all this praise Miles," Edgeworth was a bit startled at the use of his first name (at least he wasn't weirdly turned on by it). "But I don't see where you're going with this."

"I do not know, I really do not know. I just thought you had a right to know what I have been feeling." His beautiful grey eyes reflected the light back into Phoenix's. _…beautiful? You meant friendly, didn't you?_

"I admit it, I think you're so bloody god damned hot!" He quickly held his hand up to his mouth. _Gah, think before you speak you idiot! Take it back, quick! _"…I mean, I think you're cold…no wait…" _oh what a mess, he's just gone and told you all that and you cock it up. _Phoenix had started to sweat "…umm, you have nice hair?" _No wonder all those ladies rejected you. _"You're sexy," _Shut up, damn it! _"I mean…I've never thought of you like that, we're just good mates…"_ I'm going to disown myself._ "Ok, Ok, I've got it!" _Bit too late for that isn't it?_ "You may be hot, but your cravat is stupid." _Great, now you've insulted him, so much for taking it back._

Miles was highly amused at his ramblings. Phoenix gathered himself together and finally decided on what sounded best, there was no taking it back now he'd let it slip.

"I was hurt, Edgeworth, when I thought you only thought of me as a mistake, and it's taken me until now for me to realise why." _Hmmm, good going Wright._

"Why were you hurt?" he didn't sound amused, how that man could hide his feelings so well was lost on Phoenix.

"Umm... I suppose I was hurt because I didn't want to be your mistake; I wanted you to actually, well you know, want me."

"I want you." He said simply.

"Good. Ok. That's great. Explains last night. Good. I'm not hurt. No, it's all good."

"Good." Miles quickly pulled Phoenix into him and pressed his lips against the other man's softly. When they broke apart Phoenix just looked at him in wonder.

"Did you just kiss me?"

"No, I just fell onto your enticing lips… of course I just kissed you!" Phoenix thought he heard him mutter something that sounded a lot like 'sodding defence attorneys', but he just ignored this and blinked at Miles. _Hey, he's actually quite good… for a snobby prosecutor._

"Do you …err…want to kiss me again?"

"…I do," he admitted "I really do Phoenix" He couldn't help himself, he just had to let out a long groan and closed his eyes in pleasure to feel the intense spine-tingling sensation after Miles said his name like that. It was a good job he had always called him by his second name in court.

"Then take that stupid frilly thing off, it tickles."

**Fin**


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